OBJECTIVES: To explore the therapeutic effect of LuoFuShan Rheumatism Plaster (LFS) on neuropathic pain (NP) and its molecular mechanism. METHODS: Mouse models of sciatic nerve chronic constriction injury (CCI) were treated with low, medium, and high doses (2.2, 4.4, and 8.8 cm², respectively) of LFS by topical application for 14 consecutive days. The therapeutic effects were assessed by evaluating the mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT), paw withdrawal latency (PWL), plasma IL-6 and TNF-α levels, and histopathology of the sciatic nerve. Network pharmacology and molecular docking were used to identify the key targets and signaling pathways. The key targets were verified by RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry. The biosafety of LFS was evaluated by measuring the organ indices and damage indicators of the heart, liver, and kidneys. RESULTS: Compared with the CCI group, LFS dose-dependently increased MWT and PWL, reduced plasma IL-6 and TNF-α levels, and alleviated sciatic nerve inflammation in the mouse models. Network pharmacology identified 378 bioactive compounds targeting 279 NP-associated genes enriched in TLR and TNF signaling. Molecular docking showed that quercetin and ursolic acid in LFS could stably bind to TLR4 and TNF‑α. In the mouse models of sciatic nerve CCI, LFS significantly downregulated the mRNA expression levels of Tlr4 and Tnf-α in the spinal cord in a dose-dependent manner and lowered the protein expressions of TLR4 and TNF-α in the sciatic nerve. LFS treatment did not cause significant changes in the organ indices or damage indicators of the heart, liver and kidneys as compared with those in the CCI model group and sham-operated group. CONCLUSIONS LFS alleviates NP in mice by suppression of TLR4/TNF-α-mediated neuroinflammation with a good safety profile.
Animals ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/metabolism* ; Neuralgia/metabolism* ; Mice ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Sciatic Nerve/injuries* ; Male ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Disease Models, Animal ; Interleukin-6

Objective To evaluate the clinical effect of intensive treatment of obese patients with type 2 diabetes with Degu asparagus insulin and semaglutide.Methods A total of 92 obese patients with type 2 diabetes who were admitted to Rugao Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from May 2020 to May 2023 were selected and randomly divided into two groups by randomnumber table method,with 46 cases in each group.The treatment group received Degu asparagus insulin and semaglutide,and the control group was treated with semaglutide.Glucose and lipid metabolism indicators(fasting blood glucose,glycated hemoglobin,fructosamine,2-hour postprandial blood glucose,and total cholesterol),blood glucose fluctuations(standard deviation of blood glucose,amplitude of postprandial blood glucose fluctuations,24-hour average blood glucose),insulin resistance index,visceral fat index,antioxidant indicators(malondialdehyde[MDA],lipid peroxide[LPO],superoxide dismutase[SOD],and paraoxonase-1[PON1]),and adverse reactions were observed before and after 4 weeks of treatment.Results After 4 weeks of treatment,the treatment group showed a significant improvement in glucose and lipid metabolism compared to the control group,including decreased fasting blood glucose,glycated hemoglobin,fructosamine,2-hour postprandial blood glucose,and total cholesterol(P<0.05).In addition,the treatment group showed significant reduction in the standard deviation of blood glucose,amplitude of postprandial blood glucose fluctuations,and 24-hour average blood glucose.Insulin resistance and visceral fat index were also significantly decreased in the treatment group(P<0.05).The decreases in MDA and LPO and the increases in SOD and PON1 indicated that the treatment group had better antioxidant capacity(P<0.001).There was no significant difference in the incidence of gastrointestinal adverse reactions,hypoglycemia,or liver damage between the two groups(P>0.05).Conclusion Degu asparagus insulin combined with semaglutide can effectively improve metabolic indicators of obese patients with type 2 diabetes and it provide an effective program for the comprehensive treatment of obese type 2 diabetes.

Objective The mouse autologous tumor model H22 is more valuable for tumor immunological-related research.This paper aims to establish mouse hepatic tumor cell line(H22-luc2-tdT)that stably express the tan-dem-dimer tomato(tdTomato)and luciferase genes.Establish an in vivo imaging model of cell line derived trans-planted tumors.Methods Using transplanted H22 tumor tissue,primary culture and continuous passage in vitro were performed to establish a continuous cell line.Cell proliferation,chromosome analysis,organoid culture,tumorigenicity,HE and ICH of aFP,CK7,CK15 were performed to charaterize the cell line.Then the luc2-tdT plasmid was transfected into H22 cells of P22,flow cytometry and in vitro/in vivo imaging were employed to screen and verify fluorescence expression.Mycoplasma detection and species verification of the established cell lines were performed.Results The H22 cells had been continuously passaged over 50 times.The cells of passsge 22(P22)were transplanted subcutaneously and intraperitoneally into C57 and Kunming mice,with a 100%tumor formation.The HE morphology of subcutaneous transplanted tumor were consistent with the original tumor.CK+/AFP+proved that it was of liver cancer origin.The H22 cells were hypo-triploid with a modal number of 40-44 chromosomes and telocentromeres,verifing its mouse origin.The latent phase for in vitro growth of H22 lasted from d0 to d3,while the exponential phaes d3 to d5,and reach plateou at d6.Successful transfection of H22 cells with the luc2-tdT were observed with in vitro/in vivo 100%fluorescence positivity,thus named H22-luc2-tdT.The transplanted tumor tissue of H22 cells could be primarily cultured to form organoids.The detection of Mycoplasma was negative,and its mouse origin confirmed by PCR.Conclusions H22 and H22-luc2-tdT cell lines are established and characterized,which can be used for the establishment and application of in vitro and in vivo liver cancer research and metastatic cell tracking.These cell lines are deposited at and can obtain from the National Biomedical Cell Resource Center(http://www.cellresource.cn).

Objective To establish primary and simian virus 40(SV40)T antigen transformed human vascular en-dothelial cell models,and provide available resources for endothelial research.Methods Human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVEC),human umbilical artery endothelial cells(HUAEC),great saphenous vein endothelial cells(GSVEC)and endothelial cells form endometrium and liver tissue were isolated and cultured respectively.Then,the primary endothelial cells were transformed by lentivirus containing SV40 big T and small T antigens,and continuously subcultured in vitro.The expression of CD31 was detected by flow cytometry,species identification-and mycoplasma detection by PCR,and cell identity was identified by STR detection.The transformed ECs were checked for HLA types.Some of them were tested for RNA expression profile and infected by Cas9 lentivirus to es-tablish stable clones.Results Totally 187 cell lines of transformed HUVEC,1 of transformed HUAEC,5 of trans-formed GSVEC,1 of transformed endothelial cells from endometrium and 1 of transformed endothelial cells from liv-er tissue,and 9 monoclonal HUVEC cell lines stably expressing Cas9 protein were established.All the transformed umbilical endothelial cells were CD31 positive ranging from 20%-90%for 20 cases,while for the rest 168 cases the positive rate was more than 90%.RNA expression revealed stable activation of cell proliferation(cell cycle and DNA synthesis).Their species were identified as human origin.The STR results were consistent with those of the primary culture and unique,and there was no mycoplasma contamination.All these cells could be obtained with the sharing services of National Science and Technology Infrastructure,the National Biomedical Cell-line Resource cen-ters(NSTI-BMCR).Conclusions A series of primary and SV40 T antigen transformed human vascular endothelial cell models have been established,which provide a tool for the study of cardiovascular diseases,inflammation,tumors and immune-related diseases.

To review the clinical characteristics, short-term outcomes, and risk factors of patients with infective endocarditis(IE) who underwent surgical treatment at a single center, and to summarize treatment experience.

Objective To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of nivolumab in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.Methods PubMed,Embase,Cochrane Library,China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),Weipu Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database,Wanfang Medical Database were searched for articles published from the establishment of the database to March 2023.Published randomized controlled clirical trials of nivolumab in the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer were selected,overall survival,progression-free survival,and adverse reaction rate as outcome indicators were used.A meta-analysis using STATA version 13.1 statistical software was conducted.Results A total of 8 phase Ⅲrandomized controlled trials involving 4 945 subjects were included.Compared with the traditional chemotherapy group,patients in the nivolumab group had significantly reduced risk of death in terms of overall survival(HR=0.73,95%CI=0.65-0.82,P<0.05),and in terms of progression-free survival,nivolumab significantly reduced the risk of recurrence compared with the traditional chemotherapy group(HR=0.74,95%CI=0.63-0.88,P<0.05).In terms of safety,there was no significant difference between the nivolumab group and the traditional chemotherapy group for diarrhea,but the incidence of nausea,neutropenia,anemia,decreased appetite,and fatigue in the nivolumab group was lower than that in the traditional chemotherapy group.However,it should be worth noting that the incidence of immune-related adverse events such as rash was higher in the nivolumab group than in the traditional chemotherapy group,and the difference was statistically significant(OR=3.85,95%CI=2.05-6.25,P<0.05).Conclusion Compared to traditional chemotherapy,the efficacy and safety of nivolumab in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer were better,but the risk of immune-related adverse events increased.

Objective To investigate the effect of combination of rope-assisted proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation(PNF)training and rope-assisted brain-computer interface(BCI)training on upper limb function in stroke patients with hemiplegia. Methods From March,2022 to February,2023,96 inpatients with stroke hemiplegia from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University were randomly divided into conventional group(n=32),PNF group(n=32)and combined group(n=32).All the groups received routine rehabilitation treatment.The conventional group re-ceived upper limb PNF training,the PNF group received upper limb rope-assisted PNF training,and the com-bined group received both upper limb rope-assisted PNF training and upper limb rope-assisted BCI training,for four weeks.They were assessed with Functiongal Test for the Hemiplegic Upper Extremity-Hong Kong version(FTHUE-HK),Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremities(FMA-UE)and modified Barthel Index(MBI)before and after treatment. Results The intra-group effect(F>341.219,P<0.001),inter-group effect(F>21.705,P<0.001)and interaction effect(F>3.171,P<0.05)were significant in the scores of FTHUE-HK and MBI.The intra-group effect(F=520.472,P<0.001)and inter-group effect(F=41.939,P<0.001)were significant in the scores of FMA-UE,and the interaction effect was not(P>0.05).After treatment,the FTHUE-HK,FMA-UE and MBI scores were the best in the combined group(P<0.05). Conclusion The combination of rope-assisted PNF training with rope-assisted BCI device training could further improve the motor function of the upper limbs in stroke patients with hemiplegia,and enhance their activities of daily liv-ing.

Objective To evaluate the safety of the low glucoside composites of Epimedii Folium and clarify the pharmacokinetic characteristics of its five low glucosides.Methods Four groups of KM mice were orally administrated of corn oil,1 968,2 625 and 3 500 mg·kg-1 low glucoside composites of Epimedii Folium,respectively.Then,the living conditions,toxic symptoms,and death of the mice were observed for 7 consecutive days.After the mice were dissected,the viscera/body ratio and the viscera/brain ratio were calculated.Besides,the contents of alanine aminotransferase(ALT)and aspartate transaminase(AST)in plasma were determined by ELISA,and the pathological changes of the liver were observed by HE staining.C57BL/6J mice were intravenously or orally administered of baohuoside I,baohuoside II,sagittatoside A,sagittatoside B and sagittatoside C.Then,blood samples were collected at different time points.The plasma concentrations of the five low glucosides were measured by UHPLC-MS/MS.Results When compared with the control group,no significant differences were found in the body mass,viscera/body ratio,viscera/brain ratio,contents of ALT and AST in plasma after oral administration of different doses of low glucoside composites to mice.Moreover,no pathological changes or damages were found in the liver sections.After intravenous injection,the AUC0-t values of baohuoside Ⅰ,baohuoside Ⅱ,sagittatoside A,sagittatoside B and sagittatoside C in mice were 4.82,82.54,276.64,88.77 and 178.02 min·μg·mL-1,respectively.Meanwhile,the t1/2 values were 60.42,115.27,67.63,131.61 and 129.87 min,respectively.After oral administration,the AUC0-t values of the five low glucosides were 31.64,18.59,3.48,2.41 and 2.42 min·μg·mL-1,respectively.The Cmax values were 147.23,86.76,15.58,24.34 and 26.12 ng·mL-1,respectively.The tmax values were 21.00,78.00,78.00,30.00 and 28.00 min,respectively.The bioavailability of baohuosideⅠ,baohuosideⅡ,sagittatoside A sagittatoside B and sagittatoside C were 1.91%,0.51%,0.05%,0.06%and 0.04%,respectively.Conclusion The low glucoside composites of Epimedii Folium has high safety,and no hepatotoxicity were observed at dose of 3 500 mg·kg-1.The 5 low glucosides are quickly absorbed and rapidly eliminated in mice,and all of them have low bioavailability.

OBJECTIVE To observe the auxiliary analgesic effect of electroacupuncture at Hegu and Neiguan combined with in-domethacin suppository in patients undergoing transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval(TUGOR and its effect on the outcome of in vitro fertilization(IVF.METHODS 64 IVF-ET patients undergoing TUGOR were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group,32 cases in each group.One case dropped out of the treatment group during the treatment.The control group was given indomethacin suppository rectal administration,and the treatment group was given electroacupuncture at Hegu and Neiguan in addition to the treatment of the control group.The patients'tenderness threshold,VAS score,pain grade score,respiratory rate,and pulse rate were evaluated before and after TUGOR operation.The number of oocytes obtained,the rate of two pronuclei(2PN,embryo utiliza-tion rate,and high-quality embryo rate were evaluated after TUGOR operation.The adverse reactions of the two groups were monitored during and after operation.RESULTS After TUGOR operation,the VAS score and pain grade of the treatment group were signifi-cantly lower than those of the control group(P<0.01;the tenderness threshold of the two groups was significantly reduced after opera-tion(P<0.05,P<0.01,and the treatment group was better than the control group(P<0.05;the incidence of nausea during opera-tion,abdominal distension and nausea 48 h after operation in the treatment group were better than those in the control group(P<0.05;the high-quality embryo rate in the treatment group was better than that in the control group(P<0.05.CONCLUSION Electroacupuncture at Hegu and Neiguan combined with indomethacin suppository can effectively assist in analgesia,and can reduce the incidence of adverse reactions during and after TUGOR to varying degrees,and may have certain advantages in improving the rate of high-quality embryos.

Objective:To discuss the inhibitory effect of Schisandrin B on the proliferation of pancreatic cancer Pan02 cells,and to clarify the mechanism.Methods:CCK-8 method was used to detect the proliferation rates of the Pan02 cells after treated with different concentrations(0,0.78,1.56,3.12,6.25,12.50,and 25.00 mg·L-1)of Schisandrin B to select the optimal concentration and treatment time of Schisandrin B.The mouse pancreatic cancer Pan02 cells were divided into control group(0 mg·L-1 Schisandrin B),2.5 mg·L-1 Schisandrin B group,5.0 mg·L-1 Schisandrin B group,and 10.0 mg·L-1 Schisandrin B group.The morpholoy of Pan02 cells invarious groups was observed with light microscope;5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine(EdU)staining assay was used to detect the positive expression rates of the Pan02 cells in various groups;flow cytometry was used to detect the percentages of the Pan02 cells at different cell cycles and the apoptotic rates of the cells in various groups;Western blotting method was used to detect the expression levels of cell cycle and apoptosis-related proteins in the cells in various groups.Results:The CCK-8 method results showed that after treated with Schisandrin B for 48 and 72 h,compared with 0 mg·L-1 Schisandrin B,the proliferation rates of the Pan02 cells after treated with different concentrations of Schisandrin B were decreased(P<0.01),especially at 72 h.0.25,5.0,and 10.0 mg·L-1 Schisandrin B were selected to treat the Pan02 cells,and 72 h was the treatment time.In control group,the Pan02 cells had a spindle shape,with good condition,and grew closely adhered to the wall with normal organelles and cytoplasm,in 2.5 and 5.0 mg·L-1 Schisandrin B groups,the cell volume was decreased,the intercellular adhesion was disappeared,and the cell membrane was intact but more permeable;the cytoplasm shrank and vacuolar structures appeared inside the cells,with some fragmented and floating on the surface of the solution;in 10.0 mg·L-1 Schisandrin B group,the Pan02 cells exhibited notable apoptotic bodies,indicating an apoptotic state.The EdU staining results showed that compared with control group,the rates of EdU positive cells in 2.5,5.0,and 10.0 mg·L-1 Schisandrin B groups were significantly decreased(P<0.01).The flow cytometry results showed that compared with control group,the percentages of the cells at S phase in 2.5,5.0,and 10.0 mg·L-1 Schisandrin B groups were significantly increased(P<0.01),while the percentages of the cells at G2/M phase were significantly decreased(P<0.01),and the percentages of the cells at G0/G1 phase in 5.0 amd 1.0 mg·L-1 Schisandrin groups were decreased(P<0.01);compared with control group,the apoptotic rates of the cells in 2.5,5.0,and 10.0 mg·L-1 Schisandrin B groups were significantly increased(P<0.01).The Western blotting results showed that compared with control group,the expression levels of p27,B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2)associated X protein(Bax),cleaved cysteine aspartic acid protease-3(cleaved Caspase-3),and cleaved poly adenosine diphosphate(ADP)ribose polymerase(cleaved PARP)proteins in the cells in 2.5 mg·L-1 Schisandrin B group were significantly increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),the expression levels of cyclin A2,cyclin E2,and Bcl-2 proteins in the cells in 5.0 and 10.0 mg·L-1 Schisandrin B groups were significantly decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),while the expression levels of p27,Bax,cleaved Caspase-3,and cleaved PARP proteins in the cells in 5.0 and 10.0 mg·L-1 Schisandrin B groups were significantly increased(P<0.01).Conclusion:Schisandrin B has an inhibitory effect on proliferation of the pancreatic cancer Pan02 cells,and its mechanism may be related to the activation of the cysteine aspartic acid protease-3(Caspase-3)pathway to induce the apoptosis and activating p27 protein to induce the arrest of cell cycle at S phase.